Combination Insect Repellents and Sunscreens

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Are the combination products of sun block and insect repellent as effective as sun block alone?

Answer

Rachel Woods, RN, Nurse for the Surgical Dermatology Program at Penn Medicine responds:

The sun bock in a bug repellent combo should be as effective as its SPF. The thing to be cautious about is that a person would be reapplying sun block more often than bug repellent. It may be safer to apply them individually.

Feb 8, 2010 - Many African-Americans are not protecting their skin from sun damage, with less than a third always using even one form of sun protection, according to a study published online Feb. 2 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.